


Silver Linings

by citrinesunset



Category: White Collar
Genre: F/F, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-08
Updated: 2014-01-08
Packaged: 2018-01-07 23:40:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1125750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/citrinesunset/pseuds/citrinesunset
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex is looking for Neal after what happened in Copenhagen. Instead, she finds Kate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silver Linings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lionessvalenti](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionessvalenti/gifts).



> Written for fandom_stocking, for lionessvalenti. I hope you enjoy it!

When Kate saw Alex, her reaction was to get up from her bench and walk in the opposite direction. She didn't stop to wonder why Alex was on crutches, but when she heard the crutches clicking behind her as Alex tried to catch up, sympathy got the better of her.

Kate stopped and turned around. When Alex was close enough, she said, "Did Neal send you?"

"No, I'm _looking_ for Neal. He isn't returning my calls."

"What? Things didn't go well in Copenhagen?"

"Not exactly, no."

A small, bitter part of her was pleased to hear that.

"Well, I don't know where Neal is. We're not together anymore."

She'd been avoiding Neal for weeks. When she'd seen Alex, her first thought was that Neal had sent her. Kate would have to find a new park to go when she wanted to enjoy a nice spring afternoon.

"Yeah," Alex said, "I got the impression something was up with you two."

Kate avoided the temptation to ask for details. Had Neal been contrite in Copenhagen? Had he talked about her?

Instead, she asked, "What happened to your leg?"

"I fell off a roof."

After an admission like that, inviting Alex back to her place for tea seemed like only the right thing to do.

 

* * *

 

Kate's new apartment actually belonged to an old friend of hers from college. Her friend was out of town right now, visiting her mother upstate, and so Kate and Alex had the place to themselves.

Alex had her leg stretched out on the sofa, and Kate occupied a nearby chair. They drank tea out of mugs emblazoned with Da Vinci paintings, and Alex told her about Copenhagen.

"It was the prince who found me. The royal family is great."

"You weren't arrested?"

"They didn't realize I'd fallen off the carriage house. Neal and I had been spent the previous evening with them, and we didn't get very far in our plan, so I don't think they suspected me of anything. I told them I slipped."

Kate eyed her splinted leg. "It looks like a bad break."

"It wasn't pretty. Had to have surgery to set the bone. I was in the hospital for a few days. Neal decided to cut his losses."

"That's why you're trying to find him?"

"I was, yeah. But why bother? At least I'm back. It was hell getting home in this thing." She gestured at the splint. "I still need to get a cast put on, but I wasn't waiting around there."

"Well, for the record, I'm sorry things didn't go like you planned."

Surprisingly, she found that she meant it.

"Yeah, and for what it's worth," Alex said, "if I'd known asking Neal to come to Copenhagen would cause domestic drama, I wouldn't have done it. I never wanted to be some sort of catalyst."

"You weren't. It wasn't just Copenhagen," she said.

"If you were my girlfriend, I wouldn't have lied to you."

Kate smiled. "You probably would, but thanks anyway."

"No, I wouldn't. Work is work. I might sleep with people I work with sometimes, but I can compartmentalize." She reached over and stroked Kate's arm. 

Kate abruptly got up and carried her mug over to the kitchen. "Do you want more tea?"

"I'm fine, thanks. I'm sorry—you're straight, huh? Figured that might be the case."

"That's not the problem."

"Neal, then."

"No. Neal and I are broken up. We don't owe each other anything anymore. I just don't want you to hit on me because you're angry at him."

"That's not it. I mean, yeah, I'm going to give him hell for leaving me when I find him, but...I might have done the same thing. I told you—work's work. No use getting angry over it. But I don't owe anything to him, either. I'm not going to stay away from you just because you're his ex."

Kate looked over her shoulder. "You know, I always liked you a lot. I don't know if I showed it, because Neal thought I might be jealous of you, and I thought it might be easier for him if I kept my distance. But I always thought you were nice. So I'm flattered."

She considered getting more tea, but finally put her empty mug on the counter by the sink. She returned to Alex.

"There's no reason we can't hang out now," Alex said. "Make up for lost time."

"I'd like that."

Kate slipped off her shoes and curled up in her chair. She reached out and, gently, hesitantly, stroked Alex's hair. Alex smiled at her. 

Smiling back, Kate said, "Are you sure you're up for hitting on me right now? You don't look like you're going to be very active for a while."

"You'd be surprised what I can manage with only one good leg. One time, I hurt my foot while I was trying to get out of a museum. Still got out before the police arrived."

"I don't know if I could do that. I think my heist days are over."

"Oh, me too. I'm a fence, not a thief. I prefer other people to do the dirty work."

"And Copenhagen?"

"Well, if you want something done right...."

"Doesn't look like it worked out for you."

"It got me with a pretty girl, so I guess it's not a total loss."

Encouraged, Kate leaned over and gave Alex a tentative kiss on the lips. As they broke away, Kate got down and knelt beside the sofa. Alex placed a hand on the back of Kate's neck and drew her closer.

Alex's lips were soft and warm. Kate could feel the stickiness of her lipstick. She wrapped an arm around Alex's waist. 

Pulling back, Kate looked at Alex's leg and said, "Is this okay? I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm fine," Alex said softly. "You're not going to hurt me."

As she let Alex pull her into another kiss, Kate didn't deceive herself. She didn't know where this would take them, and she didn't think ahead to next week, or next month. But right now, being in Alex's arms felt like what she needed.


End file.
